Getting Away with It (Was: the idea that snape loved lily)

[kristen at sanderson-web.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 27169

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Zarleycat at a... wrote:
> This line of thinking has come up before regarding Snape's view of 
> James, etal. and their ability to get away with things or not be 
> punished for their actions.  I don't think that canon shows that to 
> be the case.  McGonagall remarks in PoA in the scene in the Three 
> Broomsticks that James and Sirius were troublemakers, which to me 
> means that they were caught a fair number of times.  I think that 
the 
> Marauders did receive what the professors felt were punishments to 
> fit their misdeeds, as do Fred and George for their pranks. 
> 
> The punishments, detentions, or whatever probably did nothing to 
> change anyone's behavior.  James, Sirius and Remus were reportedly 
> bright students, so they could afford to goof off and still not 
have 
> that affect them academically.  Fred and George don't really seem 
to 
> be particularly concerned about OWLS and NEWTS, as they want to 
> follow an entrepreneurial path and open a joke shop.  So, I don't 
> think these five students cared about whatever punishments they got.
> 
> I wonder if part of Snape's dislike springs from the fact that 
> punishment doesn't make these guys behave and obey the rules.  If 
the 
> punishment never changes the behavior, it's not a big step to start 
> thinking that the miscreants are getting away with things.  They're 
> not; they just don't care about the consequences of getting 
caught.  
> So, perhaps that then makes Snape feel that the professors are not 
> meting out appropriately severe punishment.  And, if he doesn't 
think 
> the punishment is strong enough, then, again, he'll be left with 
the 
> feeling that they're getting away with it.  
> 
> I'm going to indulge in rampant speculation here.  We know James 
was 
> Head Boy.  It hardly seems that he'd be setting a good example for 
> younger students if he was constantly breaking the rules and 
serving 
> detentions.  Maybe he did continue his prankster career as Head 
Boy, 
> and whenever the Marauders were fingered as the culprits, Sirius, 
> Remus and Peter would take the fall and cover for James.  If Snape 
> realized this was going on, but couldn't provide the professors 
with 
> evidence, then that would certainly fuel Severus' feelings that 
James 
> got away with things.  But, to my knowledge, we don't know that 
this 
> was the case.
> 
> Marianne, who knows that sometimes, you have to break the rules


Well, I can indulge in a little computer chair Psychology... :)  It 
could be that Snape simply suffers from low self esteem.  People with 
this problem sometimes look to people who are confident in their 
abilities as egotistical and generally don't like them.  Severus 
probably saw James, Sirius and Remus as the "popular people" because 
they did well in school, had a lot of friends, got away with a lot, 
and were socially adept.  He probably felt left out.  Of course, this 
doesn't make for a very interesting plot twist! :)

Kristen